Postage-stamp device.



Patented Oct. I4, 1902.

A. H. PITNEY.

POSTAGE STAMP DEVICE.

(Application am 0, 1001.)

4 Shuts-Shoot I.

(In Nodal.

TOR.

TTORNEYJ.

TNC mm: runs 6o. PHOTO-U040" msnmomu. g. c

Patented 00!- I4, I902.

A. H. PITNEY.

POSTAGE STAMP DEVICE.

(Applicution Med Dec. 9, 1901.)

Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

ORNE Y5.

n15 Norms pcmwco. mom-mm) \msuwmon. u. c

Patantod Dot. l4, I902 A. H. PITNEY.

POSTAGE STAIP DEVICE.

(Application Mod Doc. 9, 1901.)

4 Sho'otaShut 3.

(I0 Ipdel.)

/&VENTOR.

"ATTOR EY$..

TN! helm: Run new mTO-LITHQ, wmmnvou, n. c.

No. 7l0,997. Patented Oct. l4, I902. A. H. PITNEY.

POSTAGE STAMP DEVICE.

Application filad Dec. 9, 1901.)

Tm: now: runs ca, rycfaumc. wmmown, a. c,

25 ized parties.

30 my invention.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. PITNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE-EIGHTHS TOTHOMAS K. JOIINSTONE, EUGENE A. RUMMLER, HARRY G. SEGER, AND FREDERICKE. COYNE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PO STAG E-STAM P DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,997, dated October14, 1902. Application filed December 9, 1901. Serial No. 85,224. (NomodelJ To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. PITNEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Postage-Stamp Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of my invention are to [0 provide a device which maybeused as an improved substitute for the present method of indicating andmeasuring postage by means of adhesive stamps; to provide a machinecapable of printing or impressing stamps upon envelops, cards, orstickers to be in lieu of have been made, and to so construct saidmachine that the number of impressions to be printed may be changed, butthat the mechanism shall be so protected as to prevent its beingtampered with or altered byunauthor- I accomplish these objects by thedevice shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a frontelevation, partly broken away, of a device constructed according to Fig.2 is a section along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a left sideelevation of the same device. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of thenumbering-wheel, which is at the right of the series shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a representation of the impression which the device shown isintended to make. Fig. U is a perspective view, partly broken away, ofthe casing covering the mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 7 isa hottom plan view of said casing; and Fig. 8 is a section, partlybroken away, of Fig. 7 on the line The framework of the device shownconsists of a bed-plate 1, supported by the legs 3 and having rigidlysecured to its upper side the supporting-frame at.

The frame 4. is adapted to carry the printing mechanism, which consistsof a plate 5, horizontally disposed, and mechanism for o causin saidlate to reci rocate verticall 5 p y above the bed-plate 1. The lowerface of the plate 5 is provided with a fixed type 6 in relief, which isadapted to make the impression shown in Fig. 5. In a casing 7, securedto the upper side of the plate 5, is mounted a series of counting-wheels8, 9, 10, and 11, the peripheries of said wheels being provided withraised figures, as is common in numbering-machines. These nu mbering-wheels are mounted in the casing 7, so as to revolve upon ahorizontal axis, and are so disposed that the numbers at the lowestpoint of their periphery will liein the plane of the lowersurface of thetype 6, so as to form the part 12 of the impression shown in Fig. 5. Thecasing 7 is rigidly secured to a vertical shank 13. The member 14 ismounted in the supportingframe at 15,.so as to be vertically slidablethere in. The member 14 is counterbored to receive the spiral spring 16and the shank 13. The shank 1 is provided with transverselyprojectinglugs 17,which are seated in the slots 18 of the member 1a and are heldin the lower end of said slots by the action of the spring 16 upon theshank 13. A horizontal shaft 19 is journaled in the upper part of theframe 4. One end of the shaft 19 terminates in a crank 20, which drivesthe member let by means of a connecting-rod 21.. The opposite end of theshaft 19 is provided with a crank 22, by means of which a rotary motionis imparted to the shaft 19. The pawl 26 is pivoted to the.supImrting-frame at 27 and is held in contact with the ratchet-wheel 25by means of the spring 28. Above the shaft 19 and secured to thesupporting-frame 4 is a cylindrical casing 29, having therein a seriesof counting-wheels 30. The casing 29 is provided with a glass-coveredaperture 31 for reading the adjacent numbers on the counting-wheels 30.The counting-wheels 30 record the revolutions of the shaft 19, beingconnected thereto by means of the gears 32, 33, and 34. The casing 29contains the ratchet mechanism which is common in all forms ofcounting-machines, and is therefore not shown in detail in the drawingspresented. The part 15 of the supportingframe -:l is provided at oneside with a cylindrical protubcrance 35, which is hollow and has seatedin its interior the pin 36. The member-14L is provided with a socket 37,which is adapted .upwardly, terminating in a notch 41.

to receive the end of the pin 36 when directly opposed to said pin. Aspring 38 within the protuberance 35 normally urges the pin 36 towardthe member 14. A detent 39 is inteerral with the pin 36 and projectsthrough the slot 40 in the wall of the protuberance 35. The slot 40 atits lower part extends longitudinally of the pin 36 for a distance equalto the desired throw of said pin and then turns When the detent 39 isseated in the notch 41, the pin 36 is held in the position shown in Fig.1 and out of engagement with the member 14.

The numbering-wheels 8, 9,10, and 11 are short hollow cylinders havingon the inner surface a series of ten equally-spaced notches 42, as iscustomary in devices of this class. A shaft 43 is journaled axially ofsaid numbering-wheels and has keyed to each end a crank 44, whichterminates in a crank-pin 45. Pivoted to the crank 44 at 46 is a pawl47, which is held upwardly and in contact with the numbering-wheels bymeans of the spring 48. The spring 48, the pawl 47, and notches 42 ofthe wheels are so shaped that when the crank 44 is turned to the rightthrough an are equal to one-tenth of a circle the wheel 8 will be movedthrough the same arc. Each of the Wheels 9, 10, and 11 will be movedthrough said arc only when the wheels 8, 9, and 10, respectively,indicate the numeral 9 at their lowest points. The left-hand face of thewheel 11 is provided with a series of ten equally-spaced holes 49. Nineof these holes are closed by fillister-headed screws 50, leaving thetenth hole open to serve as a stop, as will be hereinafter described. Ahook 51 is secured outside of and at the right of the casing 7, as inFig. 1. The hook 51 is horizontably slidable and is guided and supportedby the pins 52 and 53, which are seated in sockets in the frame 7. Thepin 53 is so situated as to be in a direct line with one of the holes 49when one of the numbers on the rim of the wheel 11 is at the lowestpoint of said wheel. The holes of the wheel 11 are numbered tocorrespond with the respective number which is at the bottom of saidwheel when such hole is in line with the pin 53. The pin 53 is providedwith a shoulder 54 and a spring 55,said spring bearing between theshoulder 54 and the frame 7 in such manner as to normally urge the pin53,

and with it the hook 51, toward the wheel 11.'

It will be seen that the pin 53 will be forced into such hole as is notfilled by a screw when such hole is brought into alinement with saidpin. Movement of the hook 51 toward the left of Fig. 1 is limited by theshoulder 115, which stops the hook 51 in such position that said hookwill engage the detent 39, as will be hereinafter described. At eachside of the part 15 of the supporting-frame 4 is a fork-shaped guide 56.Said guides are adapted to receive the crank-pins 45 when the easing 7is near its uppermost position and turn the cranks 44 through an arc ofone-tenth of a circle and return the crank 44 to its normal 'best seenin Fig. 2.

a lug 63 of the frame 4 and steadies the pad 59 when same is not inengagement with the type 6. A rubber pad is preferably seated flush withthe upper side of the bed-plate 1 and is retained in position by theplate 64.

At one side of the frame 4 a shaft 65 is secured and has journaledthereon a sprocketwheel 66 and a gear-wheel 67, said gear and sprocketwheels being rigidly connected together. The sprocket-wheel 66 isconnected with the sprocket-wheel 24 by means of a chain belt 68. Thegear 67 meshes with the gear 69 and is secured to the shaft 70, which isjournaled to the bed-plate 1. Teeth are omitted on a portion of theperiphery of the gear 67, so that the gear 69 will remain at rest duringa part of the revolution of the gear 67. The sprocket-wheel 71 is alsomounted on the shaft 70. At each end of the bedplate 1 are journaled tworollers 72, 73, 74, and 75. The surfaces of each pair of rollers are incontact with each other, and their line of contact is in the plane ofthe upper face of the bed-plate 1. The shafts 76 and 77, which carry thelower rollers, are journaled to the bed-plate l, and each of said shaftscarries at one end a sprocket-wheel 78,

which is connected with the sprocket-wheel 71 by means of the chain belt79. The idlers 8O serve as further guides to said belt. The upperrollers are carried by the shafts 81, which ride in the bearings in thecross-heads 82. within the guides 83 and 84, but are urged toward thelower part of said guides by means of the springs 85. The upperfeed-rollers 72 and74 are connected with the lower feedrollers 73 and 75by the gearing and belts shown in Fig 1 and at the left of Fig. 2. Theguides 84 extend higher than the guides 83, so as to'accommodate saidgearing. This is The guides 83 are obscured by the gear-wheel 67 in Fig.2. The cross-heads 82 in the guides 84 are longer vertically than thosein the guides 83 and have secured thereto above the shafts 81 a secondshaft 86. On each of the shafts 86 is journaled a sprocket-wheel 87 andagear-wheel 88, which are secured together. The gear-wheels 88 are inmesh with the gears 89, which are rigidly secu red to the shafts 81. Thesprocketwheels 87 connect, respectively, with similar sprocket-wheels 90on the shafts 76 and 77 by means of the belts 91. The bolts 91 are longenough to permit of the required vertical movement of the shafts 86.Each of the belts Said cross-heads are vertically movable 91 isautomatically tightened by means of the bell-crank lever 92, which ispivoted to the guide 84 at 93, which has one arm slotted to receive theshaft 86 and carries at the end of its other arm an idler 94, whichrides on the belt 91. The guides 95 serve to keep the envelops incontact with the bed-plate 1 as they are drawn through the machine bythe rollers 72 to 75.

The entire mechanism of the device is covered by a casing 96, as shownin Fig. 6, having a removable bottom 97, to which thesupporting-framework is secured. The righthand side of the casing shownin Fig. 0 is made in the form of a trough or rack 98, in which envelopsto be stamped may be stacked. A drum 99 is journaled to the bottom 97 atthe lefthand end of the trough 9S and is con nected with the roller 75by means of an endless canvas belt 100. A block 102 is secured to thepartition 101 of the casing by means of the guides 103 and 104 and isfree to move vertically. Its lower end 105 is chamfered off, and itsweight serves to hold it in a position to retard the envelops in thetrough, so as to permit but one at a time to enter the slot 106. Thecasing is further provided with a slot for delivering the envelops, withthe aperture 107 for reading the number indicated by the upper series ofcounting-wheels and with an aperture through which the crank 22 isconnected to the shaft 19. The bottom 97 of the casing is held intoposition by means of hook-shaped lugs 108 engaging the lugs 109 at therighthand end of the casing, and at the left-hand end it is held bymeans of the tongues 110 and the lock 111, which are adapted to engagethe lugs 112 on the casing.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: A number of envelopsare piled in the rack 98. By turning the crank 22 in righthandedrotation the rollers 72, 73, 74, and 75 will be caused to revolve bymeans of the system of gearing connecting same with the shaft 19. Thebelt 100 will be driven by the roller 75 in the direction of the arrow113, and the lower envelop will be drawn into the slot 106. The secondenvelop will be retained by the block 102, which rests loosely in theguides 103 and 104, so as to freely permit the passage into the slot106,0f an irregular thickness. As soon as the envelop enters the slot106 it is drawn forward by the rollers 74 and 75 until it reaches apoint directly belowthe plate 5. At this instant the feeding mechanismstops, the mechanism having been so assembled that the blank part of thegear 67 is now in conjunction with the gear (59. The envelop at thistime receives an impression from the type driven by the printingmechanism, the teeth of the gear 67 again come into mesh with those onthe gear 69, and the first envelop is delivered through a slot in thecasing opposite the ends 114 of the guides 95. The

second envelop is simultaneously broughtintopositionforreceivinganimpression. The rollers 72 and 74 are arrangedto move upwardly to permit the passage of envelops, of variousthicknesses, but are always held in contact with said envelops by meansof the springs 85. \Vhen said rollers move upwardly, the shafts 86,being seated in the slotted ends of the bell-crank levers 92, cause saidlevers to draw the idlers 94 inwardly and permit the necessary extensionof the belts 91. Backward revolution of the shaft 19 is prevented bymeans of the ratchet and pawl and 20. With each forward revolution thegear 34 is caused to make a complete revolution, and the numberindicated by the counting-wheels is increased by one. The crank 20 andconnecting-rod 21 cause the printing mechanism to complete a cycle ofits movement with each revolution of the crank 22.

Assuming that themechanism is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2,the operation of the printing mechanism is as follows: As the crank 22turns in the direction of the arrow the member 14 and the casing7 aredrawn upwardly, the crank-pins enter the guides 56, and the shaft 43 isthereby caused to turn through one-tenth of a revolution and carrieswith it by means of the action of the pawl 47 the numbering-ring 8,causing the number at the lowest point of the series of numberingringsto be increased one. As the casing 7 descends the guide 56 causes thecrank 44 to return to its upright position, the spring 48 permitting thepawl 47 to leave the notch in which it has been engaged and enter thenext succeeding notch of the wheel 8. When the numeral 9 on the wheel 8is at its lowest point, the notch on the wheel 8, which is in engagementwith the pawl 47 and which is considerably deeper than the othernotches, permits the pawl 47 to engage both of the wheels 8 and 9.Similarly when both of the wheels 8 and 9 have their numerals 9 at thelowest point the wheel 10 is engaged by the pawl 47, and so onthroughout the series. It will be seen that by means of this mechanismeach of the impressions made by the plate 5 upon the envelops willreceive a different number. All of the holes 49 except one on the faceof the ring 11 are filled with screws, as hereinbefore described, saidscrews being set so that their heads are flush with said face. As shownin Fig. 4, the hole which is numbered 2 is open. When the number 2 onthe rim of the wheel 11 is at the lowest point of said wheel, the hole 2is in line with the pin 53 and said pin will be forced into said hole bymeans of the spring 55 and the hook 51 will be carried to the left untilit comes in contact with the shoulder 115. This will occur when thenumbering-wheels indicate 2000 and while the casing 7 is at the highestpoint of its upward movement. The hook 51 in moving to the left willcome into position for engaging the detent 39, and as it movesdownwardly the detent 39 will be drawn to the lower part of the slot 40and will be in position to permit the spring 38 to force the pin 36 tothe left and into engagement with the socket 337, which to to break saidseal and unlock said casing.

The machine may now be reset for further operation in the mannerfollowing:

For instance, if it be now desired to permit the user to make threethousand impressions the pin 53 will be drawn to the right by means ofthe handle 117 and the wheel 11 turned until the screw bearing the smallnumeral 3 appears in the aperture 118 of the casing 7. The screw will beremoved from the hole 2o bearin the numeral 3 and inserted in the holebearing the numeral 2. The wheel 11 is now turned to such position thatthe number 0 on its rim is at its lowest point and the numbering-wheelswill be in position to print the number 1 on the first envelop inserted.In like manner the machine may be set to stop at the end of any desirednumber of thousands. The detent 39 is returned to its position in thenotch 41 and the casing locked and sealed. The device is now ready forcontinued use by the user and will automaticallylock itself when thenumber 3000 is reached by the numbering-wheels. The rubber pad in thebed-plate 1 and the spring 16 in the member 14 permit of automaticadjustment for varying thicknesses of envelops to be printed upon.During the revolution of the crank 22 the roller 58 in its upwardmovement engages the cam 61 and causes the inking-pad 59 to be broughtin contact with the type.

It will be seen that the counting wheels 31 are protected by the casing29 and no means have been provided for resetting the counting-wheels 31.Said wheels will therefore indicate the total number of impressionswhich have been made by the machine regardless of the resetting of thenumbering-wheels in the casing 7.

It will be seen that numerous details of the device shown may be alteredwithout departing from the spirt of my invention. I therefore do notconfine myself to such details except as hereinafter limited in theclaims.

I What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. The combination of a frame, printing mechanism mounted in saidframe, a series of numbering-wheels for consecutively num- 6o bering theimpressions made by said mechanism suitable means for automaticallylooking said printing mechanism against further operation when a certainnumber of impressions have been made, and a casing surrounding saidmechanism and provided with looking means to prevent access to saidnumbering-Wheels and to said automatic locking means.

2. The combination of a frame, printing mechanism mounted in said frame,a series of numbering-wheels for consecutively numbering the impressionsmade by said printing mechanism, suitable means for automaticallylocking said printing mechanism against f urther operation when acertain number of impressions have been made, and means for regulatingthe number of impressions which said mechanism may make before beingstopped by said locking means, and a casing surrounding said mechanismand provided with locking means to prevent access to saidnumbering-Wheels and to said automatic looking means.

3. The combination of a frame, printing mechanism mounted in said frame,a series of numbering-wheels for consecutively numbering the impressionsmade by said printing mechanism, a series of counting-wheels forregistering the total number of said impressions independently of theadjustment of said numbering-wheels, and suitable means forautomatically locking said printing mechanism against further operation,when a certain number of impressions have been made, and a casingsurrounding said mechanism and provided with locking means to preventaccess to said numbering-wheels and to said automatic locking means.

4. The combination of a machine arranged to operate in cycles,a seriesof counting-wheels connected with said machine and adapted to count thenumber of completed cycles, means for automatically locking said machineagainst further operation, a spring normally urging said locking meansinto locking position, a movable detent adapted to hold said lockingmeans against the action of said spring and out of locking position, andmechanism connectingsaid detent'with said counting-wheels in such mannerthat said detent will be caused to release said locking mechanism whensaid counting-wheels register a certain number.

5. The combination of a machine arranged to operate in cycles, a seriesof countingwheels connected with said machine and adapted to count thenumber of completed cycles, means for automatically locking said machineagainst further operation, a spring normally urging said locking meansinto locking position, a movable detent adapted to hold said lockingmeans against the action of said spring and out of locking position,suitable releasing mechanism for moving said detent, and a stop on oneof said countingwheels adapted to engage said releasing mechanism andcause same to move said detent out of engagement with said lockingmeans.

6. The combination of a machine arranged to operate in cycles, a seriesof countingwheels connected with said machine and adapted to count thenumber of completed IIO cycles, means for automatically locking saidmachine against further operation, a spring normally urging said lockingmeans into locking position, a movable detent adapted to hold saidlocking means against the action of said spring and out of lockingposition, suitable releasing mechanism for moving said detent, a stop onone of said counting-wheels adapted to engage said releasing mechanismand cause same to move said detent out of engagement with said lockingmeans, and means for changing the position of said stop upon said wheeland thereby controlling the number of cycles which may be completed bysaid machine before same will be stopped by said locking means.

7. The combination of a frame, printing mechanism mounted in said frame,a series of numbering-wheels for consecutively numbering the impressionsmade by said printing mechanism, suitable means for automaticallylocking said printing mechanism against further operation when a certainnumber of impressions have been made, and mechanism for feeding envelopssingly and in succession to said printing mechanism, said feedingmechanism operatingintermittently so that the envelops shall not be inmotion at the instant of receiving an impression.

8. The combination of a machine arranged to operate in cycles, a seriesof countingwheels connected with said machine and adapted to count thenumber of completed cycles, means for automatically locking said machineagainst further operation, one of said counting-wheels having therein anannular series of holes, suitable movable means for closing said holes,a pin slidably mounted near said wheel and adapted to engage any of saidholes, which is open when such hole is opposed to said pin, means fornormally urging said pin toward said holes, suitable mechanismconnecting said pin with said locking means so that said machine will belocked when said pin is seated in one of said holes.

Signed at Chicago this 7th day of December, 1901.

ARTHUR H. PITNEY. Witnesses:

WM. R. RUMMLER, EUGENE A. RUMMLER.

